23 Feb 2019 08:38:16
Yes. Without question. I’d feel empty if United beat Liverpool by such a goal tomorrow. What’s the point of sport at all if cheating (gamesmanship, spin it however you want) determines the outcome?

Most importantly the joy of winning is destroyed by the guilt of knowing in your own heart and soul that it wasn’t just. Especially against your most bitter of rivals.

23 Feb 2019 11:21:04
OK we are playing Liverpool last game of the season, if Liverpool win they win the league, now if you were playing for united and the last minute de gea goes awol, your the last man back the only way you can stop the Liverpool player is to take him out cause he is heading in for an open goal, what do you do.
Do you take him out or let him score.
I know what I would do I'd poleaxe him👍.

23 Feb 2019 11:32:06
Honour, integrity, and even basic fair play seem to take a back seat nowadays. You get booked for taking your shirt off but you can scream at a linesman, waste time, foul, pretty much anything you can get away with.

I remember everyone lauding Fowler for telling the ref it wasn’t a penalty, but the ref gave a penalty, and Fowler then took it (it was saved but the rebound was put in) . If Fowler was so honourable he’d have rolled it gently to the goalie but if he had his team mates, Manager, and fans would have slaughtered him.

Footballers push things as far as they can. You have the extremes of biting, diving, and goals scored with hands but what about the other end of the scale. Ashley Young is a great example of how to move a throw in 15 yards further up the pitch, every team does it. When taking a corner players place the ball outside the quadrant, as if that extra half an inch will make a difference. Falling over theatrically when a player so much as breathes on you. Wagging fingers at linesmen, swearing at them. I think footballers need taking down a peg or 2, it would be carnage initially but once everyone got use to stricter rules we might see some of this nonsense stop.

23 Feb 2019 15:02:08
exacty james, ajh there was never much of honor integrity or fair play in football or life for that matter its just something old people seem to think. People have always cheated to get ahead will keep doing so until extinction.

Maradona goal, the schumacher tackle, the world cup final ghost goal, none of these happened recently.

23 Feb 2019 17:46:26
I agree csm but i believe it will only take one or 2 players to own up and it will begin to be the norm. We are all happy to critisise refs when they call it wrong but it goes to show what little chance they have when players are willing to try and cheat them at every opportunity.